spices

• Alinea has been named the seventh best restaurant in the world. Huffington Post Food
• Tips for dealing with dinner party dramas. — The Atlantic
• Must make: asparagus salsa with ricotta ravioli. — Hands on Gourmet
• Learn the proper way to frost a cake. — Chow
• Curry leaves provide fresh Indian flavor. — The Epi-Log
• Everything you need to know about Carménère. — Eat Me Daily
• How to toast spices. — Serious Eats
• Great ideas for hosting a contemporary urban baby shower that's not overly babyish. — Hostess With the Mostess
• Ruth Reichl follows @RuthBourdain on Twitter.— Eater
• BBQ master Adam Perry Long discusses his new cookbook and restaurant. — Grub Street NY

Source: Flickr User xmatt

It wasn't until St. Patrick's Day was on the horizon that I started using pickling spice. Before that, I was barely aware of its existence.

When you purchase pickling spice at the store, what you're actually buying is a blend of spices, such as cassia bar, mustard seeds, coriander, allspice, peppercorns, juniper berries, dill seeds, fennel seeds, celery seeds, bay leaves, ginger, mace, and hot red pepper.

The mixture, which may vary by spice supplier, is used for pickled, canned vegetables such as cabbage, onions, and bread-and-butter pickles; fish, like salmon and herring; and meat dishes, such as Irish corned beef and German sauerbraten.
Pickling spices are generally left whole, so as not to cloud the brine, and they're usually tied in a cheesecloth or sachet for easy removal after cooking. What do you use pickling spices for? Have you ever blended your own?

Two stories came out this week that show great promise for the fight against breast cancer by ridding the body of breast cancer stem cells. These stem cells have been resistant to chemotherapy treatments and remained in the breast even after the cancer went into remission. Researchers hope that if they can eliminate the stem cells responsible for breast cancer, they can control the spread and recurrence of the disease.

Spices May Prevent Breast Cancer
— WebMD
In combination, turmeric and black pepper were shown to halt the growth of new breast cancer stem cells when applied in a laboratory dish. Piperine, which is found in black and long pepper, enhances the cancer-fighting properties of curcumin, which is prevalent in the spice turmeric. Before you run out and grab that curry, keep in mind that the spice solution was 20 times more potent than the spices found in a normal diet. More studies will be done to find a safe dosage for patients.

Experimental Drug Kills Breast Cancer Stem Cells
— Reuters
In clinical trials, an experimental compound called MK-0752 was effective in killing breast cancer stem cells in lab mice. The mice were injected with breast cancer stem cells from women and grew tumors that were identical to those growing in the women. When researchers combined chemotherapy with the compound they found, they were able to halt the growth of new cells.

For years I thought pumpkin pie spice was a special spice — only recently did I realize it's actually a spice blend. And, like any spice blend, be it herbs de Provence or a rub for barbecue, pumpkin pie spice is easy to make. Why waste a couple of bucks buying it when you already have the ingredients in your pantry?! All you have to do is stir together ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and voila! You can use it throughout the holiday season. To get the simple recipe, keep reading.

The Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community isn't just a place for browsing and sharing recipes. It's also your one-stop shop for any and every culinary question.

Reader RubyDreams was wondering how to make herbs de Provence. She questioned the goddesses by writing a quick and simple post and over the next couple of days five people responded.

FinnLover replied with wikipedia's definition, Fuzzles suggested purchasing the spice blend at Penzeys, and NotMeAnymore shared Cooking Light's recipe for homemade herbs de Provence.

Whether you're wondering what to do with extra cheesecake batter or need ideas for an around the world themed birthday party, remember the kitchen goddesses are here for you!

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